NEW WASTE COLLECTIONS GET UNDERWAY

A series of new waste collection services for 3,000 more homes in Thanet are set to start next week (week commencing Monday 30 May), leading to changes in collection days for thousands of homes.

In total, three schemes will get underway, all aimed at cutting the problem of rubbish strewn all over the streets by seagulls. To implement the changes, waste collection days for a further 4,500 additional properties will change from Monday 30 May and notices have been delivered to these homes.

The first scheme sees the trial of the seagull proof bags, first successfully tried out in Eastcliff in Ramsgate, extended for a second time. Around 1,000 homes joined the scheme at the end of April and now an additional 850 properties across Thanet will be the latest to start collections. Only properties that cannot accommodate wheeled bins are considered for this scheme.

The seagull proof bags are designed to protect black rubbish sacks from seagull attack, with each one large enough to hold around two or three black rubbish sacks, which should be tied securely at the top.  Waste should not be put loose into the seagull proof bag and the lid needs to be closed correctly, so that seagulls cannot get to the rubbish inside.  

Across Thanet, over 51,000 homes are already on the council’s dual wheeled bin collection, with waste that cannot be recycled collected one week from the black lidded bin, while recyclable items, such as plastic bottles, tins, cans, paper and cardboard, are collected the following week from the blue lidded bin. Now another 790 homes in Westgate, Ramsgate, Margate, Broadstairs and Birchington are joining the scheme.

The third set of waste collections is a new initiative from the council, with residents only receiving one black-lidded wheeled bin for their rubbish. These homes will continue to receive a weekly collection of their waste. The bins hold the equivalent of one and a half standard dustbins. The scheme is only being offered to homes that can accommodate one wheeled bin, rather than two.

With all three schemes, residents are asked not to leave their wheeled bins or seagull proof bags out on the road and to take them back inside their property boundary at the earliest opportunity. Any waste not contained inside the wheeled bins or seagull proof bags or put outside of it will not be collected.

Cllr. Martin Wise, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “Our wheeled bin collections have proved to be exceptionally popular with residents, with our teams often getting calls from people, asking when they will receive theirs. Wherever we can, we will continue to roll them out and now we’re trying different approaches at properties that can’t accommodate two wheeled bins. Our seagull proof bags allow people, who don’t have any room for wheeled bins at all, to keep their rubbish safe from seagull attacks. Now we’re also trying out a new idea of just one wheeled bin for people’s rubbish, again to try and keep it out of the way of seagull attacks. It all helps to contribute to keeping Thanet’s streets clean, a priority for local people.”